Once Again a Three-Way Tie for First Place

Mednis, Tatai and Keene shared first place

This year the Barcinona Association of Barcelona, the club organizing this tournament, had to make do with a single competition, as the lower-category tournament had to be cancelled after the subsidies received in previous years failed to materialize.

The tournament nevertheless maintained its usual category, bringing together four grandmasters and two international masters. One of the latter—the American—was promoted to grandmaster shortly afterwards, which shows the additional strength his participation brought to the event.

Tatai continues to pursue the final grandmaster norm, a title he has still not managed to secure, even though for the second consecutive year he won the tournament, albeit jointly. His lack of incisiveness, however, means that his games too often drift toward draws.

Mednis and Keene did no more than he did: all three remained unbeaten and achieved the same pattern of individual results, with a flood of draws.

Orestes Rodríguez performed similarly to the three leaders, but dropped half a point more. That came from his defeat against Rajkovic and left him just below the winning trio.

José Luis Fernández recorded a considerable number of draws—more than anyone else—but still exceeded the requirement for an international master norm. In doing so he completed the conditions for the title, which was awarded to him shortly afterwards at the FIDE Congress in Malta. This was a highly meritorious result, considering the strong group of distinguished players he faced.

The principal victims were Rajkovic and, above all, Sigurjonsson, both of whom were far below their best. Sigurjonsson apparently became a father just after the tournament began, and this probably distracted him. His low score, particularly the large number of defeats he suffered, was not consistent with his established playing strength.

The Yugoslav player was disappointing; it is reasonable to believe that he is also much stronger than he showed here.

All the local participants came from the organizing club. García Conesa and González Mestres were already regulars in this event, having appeared on various occasions while alternating with the “Barcinona” tournament that until now had been held in parallel. The former, who had not taken part in the main tournament since 1976, produced a very good result and missed a FIDE Master norm by only half a point.

González Mestres has still not fully developed as a player, among other reasons because chess is secondary to his professional activity, whereas at this level one must devote constant attention to it. His style, partly scientific and partly impulsive, has not had enough opportunity to mature in the few tournaments he plays during the year. This is noticeable and, worse still, costly.

Tosan is still an inexperienced player, although he surprised Sigurjonsson and finished him off in a decisive attack. That was the only positive thing he achieved, right at the beginning of the tournament. It caused his later opponents to take greater care against him, while the Icelandic player remained unsettled from then on. Neither of them did anything else of note.

J. P.